LA - Lacey Fletcher 36, GRAPHIC, disabled, found dead, on couch for years, Jan'22 *Parents arrested* #2

[cocomod]

It is astonishing to me that they still basically believe that they did nothing wrong! She didn't want to go to the doctor or to the hospital, so we didn't make her. Her legs could no longer move. Her mother could not have been cleaning her and taking care of her daily as she claims! What mother would ignore maggots on her child (even an adult child). This is literally the definition of abuse of a disabled person. They had a responsibility to get her medical help and attention LOOOOOOOONG before she died.

I just can't with her insistence that she doesn't belong in jail. Her daughter died because of HER actions - not the actions of the daughter. She is basically laying the blame at the victims feet!

 

[Tealgrove]

There is no explanation that would excuse the parents’ decision making or lack thereof.

They deserve to go to prison. I hope they never see the light of day again.

MOO

 

[housewife]

Lacey's parents really enjoyed their privacy and being in control.
I look forward to them losing control of their own lives in prison.
They will live in a place where someone else controls every part of their existence.
Forced to stay in a confined area.
Restricted social visits.
Restricted exercise.
No privacy, even while showering.
I hope the lights stay on at night when they try to sleep and the temperature is never to their liking.
But they will be fed and get medical care, which is more than they deserve.

 

[elliefant]

I was worried they would only get a token sentence (eg 5-10 years) so I am actually relieved it is 20 years even though it is less than the maximum.

I think she will be in for a rude awakening if she continues to say the same things once in prison.

 

[housewife]

In the New York Post article, I think they interviewed a care-giver/home nurse that Sheila had once hired to care for her OWN elderly mother. Sheila put up cameras everywhere to supervise the hired help. Once Lacey's death hit the news, the nurse said she texted Sheila "she put the cameras in the wrong house".

Very interesting rationale for Sheila. Her love and compassion was conditional, it seems.

Edit:words

 

[Scarlett55407]

Something I haven’t seen reflected in any article—were the defendants actually cross-examined about their contention that Sheila was caring for Lacey daily? Texting with her, having lunch with her? I hope so because those conditions were not habitable for humans yet poor Lacey was subjected to them for a long period of time. I still feel like there are so many unanswered questions. Clay’s BS story that Lacey happily fed and clothed herself during a previous vacation he took with Sheila may have had the grain of truth that he took a vacation with Sheila and left Lacey alone, but that would be it, imo. Similarly, I wonder if the “daily texting” with Lacey meant that in some points in time, she could communicate with them. Obviously the defendants are telling lie after lie, but I feel like they gave us somewhat of a roadmap for what actually happened with what they chose to lie about. I just personally can’t make any sense out of this story other than it is stunning medical neglect and malevolence

 

[Luna20]

In the years leading up to her death, Lacey was diagnosed with autism and was non-verbal.Parents whose daughter 'melted' into couch sentenced to 40 years in prison, 20 years suspended

she was non verbal per this article so . . .

MOO lying liars lying.

Being as she was officially diagnosed and was non verbal they chose not to take part in any activities that were available for Lacey in and outside of the home.

If you are caring for a disabled person you aren’t going to let them make major decisions. An oxymoron, so that in itself implies you are an unfit parent by letting your disabled child make decisions. Especially decisions about her well being, mentally and physically.

If the church people think that the Fletchers were right to leave Lacey’s care and disability up to her then they are crazy too. It’s common sense.

The church people act like cult members. It’s not a coincidence that they all agree Lacey was being cared for. That’s not normal. What’s the hold on them to unequivocally support the Fletchers?

I’d like to see their tithe records. Could they have been generously contributing to the church and the church didn’t want to lose the funds so they looked the other way?

 

[lightofmine99]

When was she nonverbal, or became that way? I don't think her being nonverbal aligns with what her classmates have come forward to say.

Also if Lacey was nonverbal, I think that would seriously hinder them knowing what she "wanted" vs. didn't want. Doesn't make them look better at all

Also, are these diagnoses verified by investigators or are they just claims from the parents?

 

[housewife]

WBRZ recorded the defense attorney saying that the "parents shouldn't have let things get out of control, they weren't in control, Lacey was in control."

It made me want to puke. Another broadcast said there were a lot of tears from the coroner, but also tears outside the courtroom from church members who were sad to see their "friends they knew since high school" go to prison??

Many sources are mentioning the Fletcher's deep history in the area and mention Lacey's dad was a football star in high school. What does it matter? Are people in this town just incredulous their high school buddies turned out evil?

 

[Soulmagent]

I cannot find their ages anywhere, but I believe they are late fifties, early sixties. So if they serve the full sentence, it is most of their good years that they have left. I am fine with it.

I have to wonder if secretly ,they are glad their living conditions have improved. Their living conditions are definitely more sanitary and it must be a huge relief to not have to see ,your daughters corpse melted to the couch as she decomposes through the floor.
I really do not believe I will ever understand.

 

[ilovewings]

I have to wonder if secretly ,they are glad their living conditions have improved. Their living conditions are definitely more sanitary and it must be a huge relief to not have to see ,your daughters corpse melted to the couch as she decomposes through the floor.
I really do not believe I will ever understand.

I don't think it bothered her one little bit to see her daughter laying in feces fused to that couch.
She may have even liked it just a bit-- I think she saw her daughter as being difficult and thinking
"damn Lacey- she could get off that couch if she wanted- she is just doing this to upset us"- I mean that. Think about a mother saying she thinks she doesn't belong in jail!!! what kind of mentality is that?

 

[lightofmine99]

IMO: Anyone who is just fine with seeing a relative (or anyone) in that state continually and just being OK with cohabitating with that person is a psycho, regardless of if it was the suffering person's will or not.

I know there's lots of people out there that are just fine with living in dank squalor but this is a different level of "fricked" up.

 

[Breezie]

Clay Fletcher said that at times, Lacey exhibited independence, and that she would care for herself. He even discussed a trip that his wife took in 2017 and Clay and Lacey were home together. He said Lacey “fed herself and dressed herself” while Sheila was gone.

But acknowledged her further decline following his mother’s passing in July 2021.

"We were following the wishes of our daughter" | Parents of woman who died 'melted' on couch to serve 20 years in prison

The parents of a girl who died on a couch in her parents home, were sentenced today before an East Feliciana Parish judge.

unfilteredwithkiran.com

It sounds like they might have made an effort to keep Lacey and the home cleaner when her grandmother was still alive. She may have visited Lacey if Lacey declined after she passed away.

 

[tlcya]

They told police that she refused to leave the living room sofa, and they brought her her meals and set up a potty for her on the couch.

They also claimed Lacey suffered from locked-in syndrome, a neurological disorder that prevented her from moving any muscles except for her eyes.
Parents of Lacey Fletcher, who ‘melted’ into couch after not moving for more than a decade, sentenced to 20 years in prison
[these two sentences are in direct contradiction to one another and both are rooted in what the parents "say" was going on. One cannot refuse to move from the sofa if they are also suffering locked in syndrome and cannot move anything but their eyes. The fact that people believe this nonsense and still support the parents with all their weeping and wailing is disgusting]

It’s unclear if Lacey’s uncle David Almond, who was the town of Slaughter’s police chief until recently, and his wife, Mona, currently an alderwoman in the town, knew of their niece’s predicament. The two, who live a five-minute walk away from the Fletcher home, did not return a call from The Post.

Dana Lovett, a local accountant who acts occasionally as a victim’s advocate and said she had supported Lacey in court, explained that the Fletchers are “very well connected politically” in the Baton Rouge suburbs where they grew up and still live.

“They were high school sweethearts at Baker High School,” Lovett, 60, told The Post of Sheila and Clay. “He was a football star and she was on the dance team. They’re connected. At one point Sheila worked for the police chief of Baker.”
‘Pure evil’: Inside Lacey Fletcher’s sad life and torturous death on her parents’ couch
[and here is the crux of all the support IMO. They were connected, Sheila's brother in law was the police chief in Slaughter until recently, her sister is an alderwoman, and Clay was HS football star.]

 

[Lyanna]

They are stretching the fabric of reality here. And people (friends) are falling for it!
Lacey fed and dressed herself but also had locked in syndrome.
Lacey could determine her wishes and deny support/help from external agencies yet lacked capacity. Was also non verbal. There are other ways Lacey could have communicated via ie PECS, writing, text etc apart from the locked in syndrome, leaving only her eyes to communicate with. She could have used an eye gaze to determine her needs/wants and wishes but was denied any support from professionals who could provide her with this equipment, because of her wishes (according to Sheila) that she was unable to express.

What a load of tripe. Wish they'd gotten the Max sentence. Being released at 86 yrs, they could still see another good number of years of freedom, they don't deserve another moment of free time to themselves.

MOO

 

[ilovewings]

They are stretching the fabric of reality here. And people (friends) are falling for it!
Lacey fed and dressed herself but also had locked in syndrome.
Lacey could determine her wishes and deny support/help from external agencies yet lacked capacity. Was also non verbal. There are other ways Lacey could have communicated via ie PECS, writing, text etc apart from the locked in syndrome, leaving only her eyes to communicate with. She could have used an eye gaze to determine her needs/wants and wishes but was denied any support from professionals who could provide her with this equipment, because of her wishes (according to Sheila) that she was unable to express.

What a load of tripe. Wish they'd gotten the Max sentence. Being released at 86 yrs, they could still see another good number of years of freedom, they don't deserve another moment of free time to themselves.

MOO

I believe there is no physical proof that Lacey had Locked in Sydrome: In fact I believe the coroner said Lacey did not have this- parents made this s____ up: they are so disgusting, so evil, I have no more words to describe them. It appears they were connected, and carried the patina of respectability in their community-- this allowed them to continue their deceitful/abusive behavior-- with respect to Lacey- I say deceitful because apparently neighbors, and maybe even some so called friends were not aware they even had a daughter. How does that happen?

 

[Lyanna]

I believe there is no physical proof that Lacey had Locked in Sydrome: In fact I believe the coroner said Lacey did not have this- parents made this s____ up: they are so disgusting, so evil, I have no more words to describe them. It appears they were connected, and carried the patina of respectability in their community-- this allowed them to continue their deceitful/abusive behavior-- with respect to Lacey- I say deceitful because apparently neighbors, and maybe even some so called friends were not aware they even had a daughter. How does that happen?

I've no idea how this happens and am grateful that I will never understand it either, because I don't want to understand someone that thinks this treatment is acceptable.
I don't believe a word they say, they lie and lie and lie to justify themselves. I don't believe that Lacey had locked in syndrome, worst of all, if she didn't all I can hear in my head is what I imagined her voice would have sounded like, weak, raspy and barely a whisper, in my head I see a face that is sunken, sallow, dried cracked lips, dried skin, lank and dirty hair, skeletal.

Honestly these two pee me off so much it frustrates me posting, but I can't stop myself!

Sheila is a piece of work, Clay just bumbled along behind, let it happen and did feck all to change it - JMO and moo


Ugh.

Moo

 

[ChatteringBirds]

They both talked to her doctor early on and he explained what they could do to help her, and then they didn't do it! She could have had a completely different life. But they both refused to let her, to help her.

 

[Luna20]

They both talked to her doctor early on and he explained what they could do to help her, and then they didn't do it! She could have had a completely different life. But they both refused to let her, to help her.

Yes, exactly. She qualified for having a day aid at home for a fixed amount of hours a week. They help with the basics and assist them in being independent on things they show the ability to. As in, as you said she could have had a completely different life.

Why did they rob her from a normal life, love and affection? She wasn’t paralyzed, she didn’t require being in a wheelchair or being fed through a feeding tube.

They are dark and evil to willfully let her suffer.

 

[DoctorRose]

When was she nonverbal, or became that way? I don't think her being nonverbal aligns with what her classmates have come forward to say.

Also if Lacey was nonverbal, I think that would seriously hinder them knowing what she "wanted" vs. didn't want. Doesn't make them look better at all

Also, are these diagnoses verified by investigators or are they just claims from the parents?

The way I understand it and this is just me putting together what I’ve read is that she was autistic but “high functioning” for lack of a better term. Then when she was in her early teens she developed really severe anxiety. That could have been partially from hormones fluctuating or from any life stressor who knows. She stopped going to school and got to a point where her only “safe” spot was the couch. Leaving it made her anxiety spike. She appears to have become catatonic like her anxiety was so extreme that she stopped moving or talking. I don’t think she was nonverbal due to being autistic. Autism and anxiety can play off each other but I think anxiety was driving here. Just my guess. What she needed was to be helped step by step to get back into the world and see there was nothing to be afraid of. Like baby step 1: move two feet from your safe space and stay there for 30 seconds. Big goal 1: eat dinner at the table.